A Different Kind of Cage
by Derw
Summary: What drove Spock to take Captain Pike back to Talos?


A/N: My first Star Trek story - reviews would be great, please be honest but kind! Usual disclaimers apply, I make no money from this.

**A Different Kind of Cage**

"Mister Spock, would you care to take Captain Pike to the transporter room, see him off?" Kirk smiled.

"Thank you, sir, for both of us" Spock replied. Pike signalled his agreement.

Kirk continued, "Mister Spock, when you're finished, please come back and see me. I want to talk to you. This regrettable tendency you've been showing lately towards flagrant emotionalism."

Spock frowned ever so slightly. "I see no reason to insult me, sir. I believe I've been completely logical about the whole affair." He carefully pushed the captain out as the doors closed behind him. Flagrant emotionalism? He considered this. What was it, exactly, that had driven him to defy his orders and create falsehoods in order to commit what amounted to kidnapping the captain? Christopher Pike, sitting silently in front of him, could offer no answers. Had he not been logical about his behaviour in response to the situation?

Spock clearly remembered the occasion when Captain Pike had been taken by the Talosians, although the court martial he had just experienced had refreshed his memory.

The Talosians had offered Pike the opportunity to live only inside the mind, enjoying whatever fantasies had suited their purposes. Pike had seen what they were trying to do and had tried to escape their confinement, only to realise that no matter where he ran, he was still in his cell. In his mind, he could run wherever he liked and do whatever he liked, except that whatever he pictured, he was still physically in the cell. Spock had called it a brilliant deduction when Pike had realised this.

Spock had seen the process of Pike resisting his captivity in the Talosians' transmission. The image was clear in Spock's mind of Pike throwing himself against the cell's glass, and threatening the aliens, just to attempt to escape their cage. Captain Pike, like many other humanoids, could not stand captivity.

Watching these events on the screen during the court martial, Spock had glanced over at Pike. As the image of his younger self had appeared, Pike's scarred face had changed expression ever so slightly. Spock had wondered what the Captain felt, watching the things he believed he could never do again?

Although he was now free from Talos and back with Starfleet, Captain Pike existed once more inside a cage. Illusions and imagination could maybe hide this for a while, but the fact remained that Christopher Pike remained trapped within the cage of his mind. The life support chair that retained his existence created a physical cage. Nobody could get in, and Pike could not get out.

A captain other than Kirk might not have given Spock the chance to explain himself. They wouldn't have given him the benefit of the doubt, wouldn't have continued the court martial or ignored death when the penalty seemed inevitable, trusting that he was aware of what he was doing. Spock was grateful for Captain Kirk's indulgence.

He had served with Pike for many years.

Captain Pike had been utterly selfless where the fates of his crew had been concerned. Over 13 years, Pike had saved the lives of his crew time and again. The final evidence of this had been given by the fact that he had saved the lives of those cadets, at the expense of his own freedom. Pike had always felt it personally if he lost any crewmembers, and blamed himself heavily for any incident that resulted in this loss.

The crew had adored Pike, although he had not seemed to know how to return the sentiment. The captain had never truly bonded with most of the crew, never really socialised. The closest he had come was his friendship with the Doctor, and his close working relationship with Number One - she had often seemed to know what he needed before he asked for it.

Spock was aware of the fact that the Captain had, on occasion, felt that he wanted to resign his command –the weight of command, and the associated life-or-death decisions, bore heavily on the Captain's mind. In spite of this, Pike had remained a fair and dedicated leader.

Pike had repeatedly signalled "No" when Spock had come for him. Was this because he did not wish to return to Talos, or because he did not wish Spock to take him and thus risk his career and his life?

The captain was one of the most intelligent, active and thoughtful individuals Spock had known. This man had experiences which by most humans would be considered adventures. Would he be remembered for his discoveries, ten years from now?

They reached the transporter room.

Spock bent down to the level of Pike's face. "Captain," he began gently. "Are you sure you wish to go?"

"_Yes" _Pike signalled with a beep. A single tear rolled down his scarred cheek. _"Yes" _he beeped again.

Spock touched a hand to Pike's face. "Sir… our minds are merging. Do you consent?"

Pike gave a single beep.

Spock felt Pike's gratitude. Pike had been trapped and frustrated for long enough. He had not wanted Spock and the crew to risk their lives for him – the idea had completely agitated him, and all he could do to signal his panic was flash and beep "No" over and over, but now that he was here, and had permission to leave, and knew that the crew would not meet any repercussions… he wanted to go. Spock felt this most strongly. Pike wanted the chance to be free and useful again.

Spock nodded and broke the mind meld.

He would tell the crew, and his new captain, that he had done this because it would not be logical to waste such a mind. That Captain Pike deserved the opportunity to live his life to his full potential, as a free, intelligent and active man. Perhaps the truth was that Spock remembered 11 years, 4 months and 5 days of Pike's vitality, loyalty, spirit and selflessness. Pike could not bear captivity. Spock could not bear to see such a man in a cage.


End file.
